At the Trust Protocol, our team includes people with different experiences and knowledge, representing expertise from all parts of the U.S. cotton industry.
Together, we are working to set a new standard in sustainable cotton production, helping our members from across the supply chain continuously improve.
Meet the Trust Protocol team below.
Gary Adams is the President of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol Board of Directors. As President, Gary oversees all major decisions and provides consistent counsel on all matters related to the program. In addition to his role as the President of the Trust Protocol Board of Director, he is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Cotton Council (NCC).
Gary assumed the position of President of NCC in February of 2015. In this job, he plays a key role in guiding the industry’s seven segments to reach consensus on critical policies affecting U.S. cotton, with the mission of helping all U.S. cotton industry segments compete effectively and profitably in global markets. Gary also represents the U.S. cotton industry as a member of USDA’s Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee. Previously, Gary served on USDA’s Advisory Committee on Trade from 2005 through 2011, and the NASS Advisory Committee on Agricultural Statistics from 2003 through 2009.
Prior to joining the Council, Gary was a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Missouri. During his 13-year tenure at the university, Gary’s primary responsibilities included policy analysis and market outlook for the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, also known as FAPRI. Gary has B.S. and M.A. degrees in Applied Mathematics from the University of Alabama and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Missouri. Gary and his wife, Carol, have four children.
Marjory Walker is the Director of Operations, Communications and Marketing for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and serves on the Executive Leadership Team. In her role, Marjory oversees all day-to-day operations and messaging about the program while enabling growth via reputation and risk mitigation. In addition to being the Director of Operations, Communications and Marketing for the Trust Protocol, Marjory is also the Vice President of Council Operations and Director of Communications for the National Cotton Council (NCC).
At NCC, Marjory is responsible for managing the Council’s domestic and global operations, website content, and overseeing online, print, broadcast, graphic and audio- visual activities. Additionally, she leads on membership marketing, services and information as well as membership service materials and Cotton Foundation Project communications projects. Marjory also conducts training for NCC members in the areas of personal speaking, media and business etiquette.
Previously, Marjory served as Assistant Director and Manager of Marketing Communications for the NCC. Prior to that she held roles as the Communications Specialist, Manager of Communications, Director of Communications and finally, Vice President of Communications for the Cotton Board. The Cotton Board administers the producer-funded Cotton Research and Promotion Program conducted by Cotton Incorporated. Marjory lives in Somerville, TN with her husband and two daughters.
Daren Abney was appointed to the position of Executive Director of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol in July 2023. As Executive Director, Daren guides the strategic vision and operation of the Trust Protocol. His focus is on supporting farmers in combating climate change through evolving agricultural innovation, textile brands and retailers in their drive to deliver more sustainably produced garments, as well as NGOs and other sustainability initiatives to determine areas of potential collaboration.
Additionally, Daren will oversee activities of the U.S. Climate Smart Cotton Program, a five-year pilot announced as part of the USDA’s Climate Smart initiative where the Trust Protocol serves as the lead. Daren has 15 years of international experience garnered in organizations across the apparel and fashion industry such as Better Cotton, Textile Exchange, and Lenzing Group.
Daren has a B.A. in Advertising and Marketing from Texas Tech University, and M.A. in Business Administration from West Texas A&M University. Daren and his wife, Andrea, are raising two children in Lubbock, Texas.
Charles “Chaz” Holt, is the Director of Field Programs for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. Chaz has worked in sustainable cropping systems and agroecology for nearly 20 years. During his career he has been a fresh vegetable producer, crop consultant, academic researcher, and an uplands conservation agronomist assisting cotton producers with upland habitat restoration and other on-farm sustainability goals.
Chaz has a B.S. in Agriculture Sciences from University of Wyoming and a M.S. in Agroecology in the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences at Montana State University. He is married, has three children, and raises cattle with his father on their family farm.
Tillman White has served as the Program Manager for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol since 2021. In that role he is responsible for grower education, enrollment, verification and engagement. He also is responsible for gin, merchant and cooperative engagement for bales in the Trust Protocol system.
Tillman, who earned a B.S. in Animal Dairy Science and a M.S. in Agriculture from Mississippi State University, grew up on his family farm in Somerville, Tenn., where he still works, feeds and sells cattle. He also works as a part-time accountant at Cumberland Optics in Somerville, his family’s business.
Bailey Nesmith is the Grower Enrollment Specialist in the High Plains & West for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, working specifically with the Climate Smart Cotton Program. Prior to this role, Bailey worked at a cotton cooperative providing marketing and communications support. During her time at the cooperative she assisted growers, gins and other cotton industry members with their enrollment in cotton sustainability programs such as the Trust Protocol and Better Cotton.
Bailey enjoys working with producers to hear their cotton stories and aiding with the technological requirements needed to demonstrate and verify their sustainability credentials. Bailey and her husband live outside of Lubbock and are raising two daughters.
Maryn Findley is the Grower Enrollment Specialist for the Southeast region for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and also serving growers participating in the Climate Smart Cotton Program. Prior to this role, Maryn worked at a cotton gin and peanut buying point as an Office Manager where she efficiently managed the logistics of processing cotton bales and raw peanut materials annually. She also played a pivotal role in enrolling growers into cotton programs such as the Trust Protocol and the Climate Smart Cotton Program, overseeing sustainability initiatives in the cotton and peanut sector including the Sustainable U.S. Peanut Initiative, and facilitating seamless supply chains from grower to producer to consumer.
Maryn’s immersion in various facets of the agricultural industry has given her a deep understanding of its intricacies and challenges. Driven by a profound passion for agriculture, community, and education, she is dedicated to leveraging the power of these pillars to enhance lives.
Willis Frazer is the Grower Enrollment Specialist for the Mid-South region for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and also serving growers participating in the Climate Smart Cotton Program. Prior to this role, Willis worked as a Sales Representative for Drumheller Packaging and spent four years at a large seed supplier. During his time, Willis was a Territory Manager and Sales Agronomist, where he gained experience in agronomic and technical knowledge of seeds.
Willis has been working in agriculture since 2008, holding various roles that have given him experience in different aspects of the industry. Additionally, he farms row crops, including cotton and soybeans, on his family’s land.
Deepika Mishra is the Standards and Data Lead for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, acting as a consultant for the program. As an accomplished scientist and data analytics specialist, Deepika leads on analysis of the Trust Protocol’s environmental metrics. She collaborates extensively with agricultural research institutions, conservation groups, and food and trade organizations, playing a vital role in the establishment of sustainability and social standards within the industry.
Deepika earned her Ph.D. in plant and soil science from Texas Tech University, specializing in cotton breeding and genetics. With over a decade of experience, she has spearheaded diverse agricultural projects in both India and the United States, covering crops like cotton, cowpeas, castor, sesame, guar, guayule, tomato, and field pennycress (cover crop). Her contributions also include the development and release of multiple cowpea varieties in India during her M.S. studies in vegetable breeding and genetics.
Andrew Jordan is a Senior Scientist for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, acting as a consultant for the program. He provides expert input and perspective on key aspects of research, policy and priorities for sustainable agriculture as well as environmental and social responsibility plans. Andrew previously served as Vice President, Technical Services for the National Cotton Council (NCC) and is an advisor to the NCC’s COTTON USA Sustainability Task Force.
Andrew is a charter member of the multi-stakeholder coalition–Field to Market-Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture Outcomes and a director for Agricenter International. He earned a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Georgia, and both a M.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering and a Ph.D. in Engineering from Clemson
Olufemi ‘Femi’ Abimbola is the Metrics and Evaluation Lead for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, acting as a consultant for the program. In his role, he will be providing support for understanding the unique data needs of different brands and retailers and offering guidance on effectively utilizing Trust Protocol data for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) goals. Femi will also assist in performing statistical analysis and data mining to identify trends, patterns, and valuable insights for the program.
Femi has over 15 years of global experience in agriculture, environmental engineering, and data analysis. He has previously worked for Syngenta analyzing environmental data as well as held positions at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he was a Remote Sensing and Irrigation Specialist and Graduate Research Assistant.
Ana Garzon is the Assurance Lead for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. In this role, Ana leads the work on evolving the program’s framework for credible assurance with a specific focus on the Climate Smart Cotton Program. Her responsibilities also include developing a robust risk management framework that strengthens the organization by proactively addressing key risks and integrating ISEAL sustainability system best practices.
Ana is a dedicated sustainability professional with a passion for supporting market-based sustainability initiatives and systems to deliver impact in the digital age. Prior to joining the Trust Protocol, Ana was the Senior Manager, Quality and Risk Management at Textile Exchange. She has also held positions at ISEAL and Rainforest Alliance.
Stephanie “Steph” Thiers-Ratcliffe is the European Director, Brands and Retailers, for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and Cotton Council International (CCI). Steph acts as a representative of the Trust Protocol in conversations with brands and retailers, helping them understand the unique offerings of the program. Being with CCI for over 20 years has seen Steph develop an in-depth knowledge of U.S. cotton, the wider textile industry, and the fashion industry supply chain. Holding many different roles within CCI, Steph is responsible for the European side of the business.
A native of France, she studied Law at Poitiers University in France, Nijmegen University in The Netherlands, and Leuven University in Belgium. Steph has worked within the fashion supply chain for much of her career, first being introduced as a Range Merchandiser at Marks and Spencer before joining CCI in 2002.
Trenton Rae is the Americas Membership Lead for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, acting as a consultant for the program. His role includes speaking with brands and retailers on behalf of the Trust Protocol, helping them understand and implement the unique offerings of the program. He brings a wealth of experience as a consultant in the textile and sustainability industry.
With a career spanning over a decade in textile manufacturing and technology implementation with global brands in apparel, home textiles, automotive and other categories, Trenton helps brands and retailer partners drive innovation in their sourcing and adopt a forward-thinking mindset when it comes to cotton. Trenton is from California and now resides on the northeast at his small homestead.
Tara Luckman is the Stakeholder Engagement Manager for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, acting as a consultant for the program with a focus on sector engagement and progress reporting. Tara consults on sustainable fashion and textiles, supporting fashion businesses to adopt and integrate good practice on ESG. Consulting projects include contributions to the Sustainable Apparel Coalition Brand assessment module, Textiles 2030 sector agreement in the UK, and the Microfiber 2030 Commitment and Roadmap.
A Strategist and Sustainability Program Leader with BSC Hons in Textile Science and deep experience in apparel and sourcing, Tara is passionate about transforming the fashion industry with a proven track record for delivering change and fostering collaboration on the international platform. Prior to founding Flourish CSR, Tara held roles at ASOS.com and Tesco plc spanning 15 years of team building and leadership in environmental stewardship, delivering the product sustainability strategy from raw materials to recycling, introducing circular methodologies and an industry leading partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion. She is currently serving on the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) working group that will lead the development of the GRI Textile and Apparel Standards.
Gerson Fajardo is the Supply Chain Director (Consultant) for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, where he leads the development and execution of organizational strategies and infrastructure from cotton fields to end-use across the global supply chain. He oversees the Supply Chain team, spearheading initiatives to improve tools, data, and traceability platforms, ensuring transparency and enhanced functionality for Trust Protocol’s members. Gerson also manages key partnerships, guiding them from strategy through to operational execution while engaging with both internal and external stakeholders.
With over 30 years of leadership experience, Gerson has excelled across multiple industries, including retail, apparel, textiles, food, paper, rubber, and home goods. His most recent leadership roles at Walmart honed his expertise in sustainability, quality assurance, compliance, raw materials sourcing, supply chain management, and manufacturing.
Gerson’s expertise in textiles and apparel spans more than two decades, starting with leading some of the largest textile operations in Central America for major U.S. national brands. He later joined Walmart in Mexico, overseeing raw materials sourcing for the Western Hemisphere. In his final years at Walmart, Gerson focused extensively on sustainable textiles, designing and leading sustainability initiatives while also holding leadership roles in Ethics and Compliance, supporting Walmart’s global sourcing operations.
Garry Bell is the Global Traceability Lead for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, acting as a consultant for the program. A passionate sustainability and business excellence professional, he is committed to helping the Trust Protocol harness the technologies and innovation behind the program’s traceability solution to deliver value to all members and stakeholders by connecting the program’s farm-level environmental data to brand and retail members’ finished products. Garry leads a team of industry veterans actively managing the development, implementation and maintenance of the Trust Protocol’s proprietary traceability solution.
Garry is an industry veteran with more than 30 years’ senior executive experience across the full spectrum of functional areas within the global apparel and textile industry. As one of the world’s first global marketing leaders to sign a Cotton USA license over 25 years ago, Garry has long been a fan and a champion of U.S. cotton, advocating the inherent values of quality, consistency and operational efficiency of the fiber to manufacturers around the world. Additionally, he has 24 years in senior level positions at Gildan, one of the world’s largest vertically integrated manufacturers of textiles and apparel.
Christian Lecavalier is a Global Traceability Manager for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, acting as a consultant for the program. He has been supporting brand and retailer members and their supply chain partners in the implementation of the program’s traceability solution since 2021. Christian also participates in the continuing development of the Trust Protocol, especially on process and technology aspects.
Christian has over 30 years of experience in the footwear, sporting goods and textiles/apparel industries, including executive positions in supply chain and information technology for mid-size and publicly traded enterprises, both in vertical manufacturing and sourcing organizations.
Johan James van Breda is a Global Traceability Manager for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, acting as a consultant for the program tasked with the roll-out of supply chain traceability. Johan works with brands and retailers and their mills and manufacturers on the implementation of the Trust Protocol, guiding the processes of full supply chain discovery, the onboarding of all stakeholders on the traceability system and tools, and on scaling up the tracking of U.S. cotton fiber in products and their full value chain. He also supports the European team with engaging with the market throughout the region.
Johan has worked on sustainability in the apparel, footwear and textiles industry for almost a decade. With a key focus on the implementation of environmental and human rights due diligence, he has gained experience with all tiers of the value chain through a leading sports brand, a large vertically integrated manufacturer, a government-led initiative, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and now at the raw material stage. Raised in both Ireland and the Netherlands, he studied environmental science at the University of Amsterdam and UNSW in Australia, and researched systems ecology in high-Arctic Norway.
Sonja Powe is the Project Manager for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol where she supports the creation of organizational infrastructure with a heavy focus on supply chain project management. In her role, Sonja engages with a variety of Trust Protocol members, including brand and retailers, mills and manufacturer members, and technology providers to help facilitate the onboarding and scaling into the Trust Protocol traceability solution. Her main responsibilities include project management oversight, system and process training, and support.
Sonja has spent the last 28 years managing software implementation projects across diverse industries and delivering custom training solutions centered around Oracle’s Hyperion Financial Management and Reporting software. Her proven track record of leading cross-functional teams to achieve project goals on time and within budget has earned her many customer service and top revenue generator awards throughout her career.
Sonja received both her BBA in Finance and her MBA from Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi.
Emily Finney is the Marketing & Communications Manager for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, acting as a consultant for the program to support the organization’s growth, building brand equity while mitigating risk. She is an experienced integrated marketer and brand manager with a focus on fashion, sustainability, and non-profit organizations. Emily comes to the Trust Protocol following a position as Assistant Manager of Global Brand Marketing at Levi Strauss & Co. Prior to that, she led the non-profit marketing team at the Los Angeles-based creative agency, Brand Knew. Her work has been highlighted in the U.N.’s Sustainable Fashion Communications Playbook and AdWeek.
Emily has a degree in psychology from Vassar College, also studying creative writing and design communications.
Maryann Gatti serves as Program Assistant for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. She assumed this role in 2022 and works with mills, manufacturers, brands and retailers, assisting them with registration and membership queries as part of the finance department.
Maryann has worked in the cotton industry since 1990, beginning with Dunavant Enterprises where she worked in Purchasing and Sales, eventually becoming Vice President of Purchasing Operations. She worked with several other leading U.S. cotton merchants before coming to the Trust Protocol. Maryann earned her B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin.
Jana Jackins is the Program Manager for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, working with manufacturers, brands and retailers since 2019. In this role, she is the liaison for membership enrollment and provides technical assistance with member accounts.
Jana has a B.A. in Psychology from Louisiana Tech University and was an educator prior to her work in the cotton industry.
Barbara Ward is the Senior Accounts Payable – Accounts Receivable (A/P – A/R) Specialist for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. In her role, she is responsible for the management of vendor maintenance and timely payments, banking needs, and balancing of ledgers. She also assists in the submission of reporting for the Climate Smart Cotton Program.
Barbara holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and has over 25 years of experience in accounting, accounts payable and accounts receivable.
Yolanda Emodogo is the Controller for the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, which she assumed in August 2023. In her capacity Yolanda undertakes a spectrum of responsibilities including the oversight of all financial and accounting facets related to the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and the Climate Smart Grant. She diligently ensures that these matters adhere to the highest standards, guided by GAAP and the stipulations set forth in the Climate Smart Grant agreement.
Her professional journey spans over 25 years and has enabled her to amass a wealth of financial acumen. Her previous role includes tenures with esteemed Fortune 500 companies, such as AutoZone Corporation, Hilton Worldwide, and Service Master. Additionally, Yolanda has held positions as the Executive Director of Finance and Interim CFO for LeMoyne Owen College.
